


For the First Time, Protection

by frozenCinders



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, uncle braig cinematic universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2020-01-11 23:44:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18434582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frozenCinders/pseuds/frozenCinders
Summary: There was nothing to ask about-- Braig knows who did that to him and he knows just as well that Vanitas is a tough kid who can handle it, especially now that it's stopped. He doesn't think he's ever felt angry on someone else's behalf before, but remembering the sight of countless injuries on the kid he's haphazardly adopted has Braig seeing red no matter how often he thinks about it.





	For the First Time, Protection

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know if the child abuse aspect automatically calls for a t rating i just picked g this time because i didn't say any swears in it these two ratings are honestly totally interchangeable for me because i'm stupid

When Braig first started humoring Vanitas, he saw the whole situation as a fun joke. He thought Vanitas was just some dumb kid who was easy enough to take care of and entertaining to keep around, but if anything were to happen to him, that Braig could just shrug and move on.

There was one day where Vanitas was staying up past the curfew Braig didn't actually care much about but half-assedly enforced anyway, and so he kicked him off the TV and sent him to shower before bed. Vanitas had come back out half-dressed because he forgot to grab a towel from the other bathroom, and Braig was able to notice the plethora of bruises and scars even in just a glance, and something in him snapped.

He said nothing that night, and things carried on as normal. There was nothing to ask about-- Braig knows who did that to him and he knows just as well that Vanitas is a tough kid who can handle it, especially now that it's stopped. He doesn't think he's ever felt angry on someone else's behalf before, but remembering the sight of countless injuries on the kid he's haphazardly adopted has Braig seeing red no matter how often he thinks about it.

Of course, it's not as if he can just return the favor. Rather than that, Braig takes a much more subdued revenge by continuing to pretend that Vanitas is truly missing. He even rubs it in:

"Man, sure would be nice if we had another little buddy on our side here, huh? Wonder what ever happened to that masked boy."

"Ever find Vanitas? Couldn't have gone too far, right?"

"Huh, I guess your eyes must be failing you if you really _still_  can't find this kid, old man."

Occasionally, he'll be met with quiet threats in response to the taunting. Braig truly can't say he doesn't know what Xehanort is capable of, but the hatred that builds and simmers in the back of his mind insists that he's a joke; so Braig continues to laugh at him in secret.

Sometimes, Braig thinks about what might happen to Vanitas if Xehanort ever spots him. The thought sickens him and leads to him seemingly randomly giving Vanitas special treatment, partially as a distraction for himself, but also as an apology in advance just in case. There are nights where he swears sees betrayed golden eyes staring up at him, robbing him of sleep as he stares at the ceiling just to see anything else. He's considered convincing Vanitas to fake his death, but he'd rather not put him in Xehanort's line of sight at all.

How the mighty have fallen, Braig thinks to himself with a laugh. Vanitas turns his head next to him, too occupied with a popsicle to ask what he's laughing about and giving him a funny look instead. It looks like a face Braig himself might make.

He's been noticing how Vanitas takes after him, how he imitates him and picks the same things as Braig, even if he denies it all when teased about it. It really seems like Vanitas imprinted on Braig immediately, sensing the first and only adult in his life who wasn't eager to beat the hell out of him and latching onto him for protection he couldn't have known he was going to get.

"What's so funny?" Vanitas finally asks, since Braig took so long to answer.

"What do you mean? Look how bad the animation is," Braig says as an excuse, gesturing to the television. He's not wrong, so Vanitas lets it slide.

How he's fallen, indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> if incesties twist that final line i will literally turn into a wild chimpanzee and start tearing couches apart and shit starting with yours


End file.
